Asked about reports late Tuesday that campaign manager Rob Johnson and senior adviser Dave Carney had been demoted, GOP candidate Rick Perry said the rumors were "just scuttlebutt."

"News to me, I've talked to both of them within as a matter of fact the last 24 hours. So if they have, news to me."

"So I would suggest to you that's just scuttlebutt, highly technical Aggie term for 'not correct,'" he said.

Perry said that Joe Allbaugh, who joined the campaign last month, is "the make the trains run on time guy and does a fabulous job."

Asked if Allbaugh has taken on duties that were previously conducted by Carney or Johnson, Perry responded: "That's not in my purview. So I try to get out and be the best candidate I can be every day. And the best I can tell everybody's working hard and getting the work done."